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Thread: Boundary Bay Goose Opener 2022 - mental birds and humans

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
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    1,122

    Boundary Bay Goose Opener 2022 - mental birds and humans

    Had excellent day yesterday in Boundary for geese. The numbers are really there and we stacked them. For public land, it was quite a haul with 15 honkers between five of us. Judging by the volume of fire from the other big group who were there and from what we could see they easily built their own deep stack. For me, this was one of the top experiences at the Bay for geese and I hope is a sign of more to come.

    I started the day in the parking lot pulling in after 4 and I noted that other group were already assembled. All power to them. While I got my decoys in order and waited for my crew to show up, they were already marching out to claim their spot which I had hoped was different from the one we had marked out. Yesterday, we had scouted the beach and were excited at what we had found. Plentitudes of honkers who were not at all wary. At around 4:30 the last of us finally assembled and we piled on the sleds and headed out in the dark.

    We knew the tide was down and dry from scouting previously so it was a relief not to have to get any heavy gear on. That said, pushing and pulling two sleds with silos, shells and foamies was still hard work especially after a summer forgetting what a slog it is to walk anywhere in the foreshore - so getting out there was no easy chore. While walking we noted the lights of the other group and were happy to note they had chosen a different spot so we happily got to our X and threw down the bags and got to work.

    From our buddy who scouted previously, he noted that the geese were coming from Pt. Roberts and either going behind the dyke toward the farms to the north but some would come up the coast. Our idea was to try to attract them to come down on the beach with a cloud of dekes (or at least give us an edge over any other hunters if the birds had any choice). As it turns out, the day was so mental it was hard to see if dekes did a single thing. At that time we didn't know what would happen so we laid down and staked all the dekes and picked out a line of positions in the grass.

    Just after eight we were surprised by a trio of Canadas that headed straight for us out of the beach in almost a stealth attack flying low and seemingly coming out of nowhere. The pair of us who were ready gave them a few shots but the trio kept going unscathed. That wake up finally got us settled and we waited for more. 15 agonizing minutes later, we watched with excitement as a much bigger flight approached over the horizon from inside Ladner, the bodies getting bigger and bigger. They seemed headed straight for our decoys but as they got closer their path put them painfully out of range. They ended up settling a couple hundred yards out on the beach where they would strut and pose for the rest of the morning.

    Meanwhile, smaller groups began going up and down the dyke. Some other hunters began testing out their shooting on groups we couldn't see.

    Once again a big flight seemingly followed the path of the first one. Again we waited with anticipation to blow them up but like the first group, they came over the decoys but again out of range and settled with that first group deep in the bay. Questions came up. Were they avoiding the area because of the dekes? Would they even settle that close to the foreshore?

    With those doubts in mind, I proposed repositioning and so we realigned to face the direction those two groups came from and some of us decided to sit right amongst the decoys themselves so we would be more directly facing the flight path. We were confident in our camouflage (two of us had actual ghillie suits) and had waders on anyway so got right into the sand amongst the grassy drumlins and sat back and waited.

    From that moment onward, the geese activity ratcheted up until it was clear they were absolutely comfortable with coming down low over that area. Big fat flights were coming up from behind the nurseries, some settling in the protected pond, others circling the foreshore. It was just a question of whether the hunters would be patient enough to let them come in for the sure shots.

    As usual, from Boundary Bay, we expected to see a lot of skybusting and unfortunately that proved to be the case. Whether nervous or impatient, we saw high up groups getting no-hoper shots from various other hunters out there. We had groups that came down low and looking very good for us having to veer off because of wild shooting. If the activity had been rare - it would have made us furious - but the fact is on this day, the geese were MENTAL so even hunting by pure volume was working.

    As the sun came out, the geese were flying, and seemingly were totally unmindful of the danger. Whether they were too young or had forgotten about the hunting, they were absolutely crazy. Flights passed low, flights came in from every direction. Not a hunter in that area should have come away without decent opportunities if their shooting had ben up to par. For our group, our decision to change our orientation gave us excellent shots at groups that followed the path of the first few we had didn't have the range on. We started dropping them throughout the morning and laughing at clear whiffs - misses that would have been tragedies in later season but on this day it was like dropping an ice cream when you had the whole store of flavours to yourself.

    By the end of the morning before we called it at just after noon we had stacked 15 Canadas (I had three myself - and a load of Shotkam footage of misses to diagnose) and stopped only because we were satisfied with the action. I had already worn myself out doing a 100y dash after a crippled Canada that ran into the no-go area. One in our group not only got his first Canada ever, but he then added two more to his haul. After we agreed to shut it down, it took two trips to the parking lot to get everything out because of the added burden of the fat bodies we had to drag out. I really think if we had stayed the entire day, the mythical 10 bird limit would have been achievable (with better shooting).

    That said: there was some negative and not the just the usual. Skybusters aside, we saw people down DUCKS. And when confronted about it, they did not own up. They knew they did wrong otherwise if it was an honest mistake it would have been a quick conversation and "don't do that again", but they just straight up lied. And same pair were very quick about running out and grabbing bounty that they clearly did not bring down. Me, if I think there was a chance someone else hit the same bird, I'm okay with letting it go. Even if I had done most of the work, it's not worth the argument when there are tons out there. But this particular pair, it was beyond the pale. If you do not own up to the duck you downed out of season, I am not inclined to give you the benefit of the doubt the next shit that's pulled. The pair pulled up stakes right after that so we did not have a chance to get their license plates. We will be filing a report on the duck so be warned there could be CO eyes on that area in the future.

    If you don't think anything will happen in response to reports, be aware that Delta Police were called yesterday for shots fired by ignoramuses who couldn't see the big hunting season signs and were waiting for us at the dyke as we brought in our birds. The police were apologetic - they knew we were hunters and after checking licenses had to waste 30 minutes of their day filing a report. To me, this is the real danger of bad behaviour. It's not just being a bad conservationist or pissing off your fellow hunter, it is the impression it gives to the public. One of us sees a mistake - we can make the decision to self-regulate or have the COs come down. A member of the public who sees it can get an area shut down.



    Even with these annoyances, a very memorable day. I hope some of you do get out there while the honkers are extra dumb and take advantage of this current situation.

    Last edited by silveragent; 09-04-2022 at 11:16 AM.

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    May 2020
    Location
    Coquitlam BC
    Posts
    69

    Re: Boundary Bay Goose Opener 2022 - mental birds and humans

    Congrats, I thought about going there on the opening day. Then, I checked the weather, then I was like, na, too sunny, I'll just sleep in my home. Lol.

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
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    1,122

    Re: Boundary Bay Goose Opener 2022 - mental birds and humans

    unfortunately according to another friend who went this morning things dried up completely. Hopefully they will return this weekend.

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2018
    Posts
    75

    Re: Boundary Bay Goose Opener 2022 - mental birds and humans

    Great report. Glad to hear of successes, especially on public land!

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    North Island
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    131

    Re: Boundary Bay Goose Opener 2022 - mental birds and humans

    Congrats and thanks fpr posting.

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
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    1,122

    Re: Boundary Bay Goose Opener 2022 - mental birds and humans

    Went out today and got nothing. Just one shot opportunity. Bluebird day and birds are wised up, I suppose.

    See you all for duck season!

  8. #7
    Join Date
    May 2020
    Location
    Coquitlam BC
    Posts
    69

    Re: Boundary Bay Goose Opener 2022 - mental birds and humans

    Quote Originally Posted by silveragent View Post
    Went out today and got nothing. Just one shot opportunity. Bluebird day and birds are wised up, I suppose.

    See you all for duck season!
    Im going to the club tomorrow to do some skeet shooting, practice before duck season, lol.

  9. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Surrey
    Posts
    92

    Re: Boundary Bay Goose Opener 2022 - mental birds and humans

    "I thought about going there. Then, I checked the weather, then I was like, na, too sunny" lol Procrastinators Unite! Well, Maybe later.

    Good to hear that ppl are out and so are the birds.

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